Automobile



R. S. FEND.

. AUTOMOBILE. APPLAlcATmN flu-:u JAN. 26, 1914.

R. As. FEND.

AUTOMOBILE. l APPLICATION FILED` JAN. 2s, 1914.

Patented Apr. 13, 1920.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

mmm .Q -1....

" partially in section, of a part` of such'auto- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROLAND S. FEND, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A SSIGNOR TOiTHE BAKER R 85 I1 COMPANY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

AUTOMOBILE.

1,337,0'7. Specification of LetterslPatent.

Patented Api-.13,192o. i

Appueation fned January 26, 1914. serial No. 814,311.

To f/ZZ whom it may concern:

lle it known that l, ROLAND S. FEND, a citizen .ofthe Unitedk States, residing at Chicago, in 'the coynty of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Automobiles, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact. description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

My invention relates to motor driven vehicles and has for one of its objects the proi vision of an improved steering mechanism, forvanother of its objects the provision of an improved controlling mechanism, and for a third object the` provision of improved means for enabling the automobile to-be., controlled by mechanism associated with front and rear seats, the equipmentY of my invention permitting control of the automobile from either seat while its control from the other seat is prevented. A

In practising my invention I employ mechanism for the steering control and the motor. control which may have many fea-viiv he Steering mdr( {(dfrmine the direction tures 1n common. By means of the inven if thfautomobile in a manner well known. tion the handles at each seat need not be re- X-sub-steering rod 71 interv'enes between the moved but may be maltalned H1 Permanent steeringrodand the rear steering handle 4, association with the seats to which they are theqfmin and Subgteering rods being respecindividual, there being,` however, means tively associated with the steering handles whereby but one set of these handles may be o 1 and 4 by means of crank arms` 72, 73. The operated at a tune so that the COI1t101 0f the rear'controller handle 5, when in operative, automobile-maybe exercised from-one seat ho`rz`o`ntal,` position, lis in actuating relation onlv.

v with avsprocket gearwheel- 8 which is con- I will explain my lnventionmore fully Dy nected` with the driving drum shaft 9 of reference to the accompanymg drawingsv the Controller' 10 by means of a Sprocket showing the preferred embodiment'thereof @1min 11,' y and in which Fgufe'l .S a Plan VleWf I 511" The' forward controller liandle 2 has an tially in section, of a part of an automo ile constructed in accordance. with the invention; Fig.' 2 is a view in side elevation,

elevation of the controlling mechanism shown at the rear in Fig. 1, the view being taken in a forward direction; Fig. 9 is a perspectivel view of a plunger element entering into the construction'and F ig.,1O is a sectional view on line l0 10 of Fig. 7.

Like Vparts are' indicated by similar characters of reference through the -diierent figures.

The .equipment of my invention is adapted for use in an automobile which is to be governed from either a forward or a rear seat thereof, to which end a steering lever l and a motor controlling lever 2 are indi- `vidual to a forward' seat 3 and may be operated by a driver occupying this seat when it is in the position indicated by dot and dash lines in Fig. l. A second steering lever 4 and a second motor controlling lever 5 are individual to the rear seat 6 and may be operated by a. driver occupying this seat. i Both steering handles 1,"4 are common to the steering rodf Ywhereby either handle when in an operative position, may operate 8, which connection includes crank arms l2, 13 and av link 14 uniting the 'outer ends of these arms.v When the handles 1, 2, 4 and 5 are horizontally disposed they are in operative positions, the handles 4 and 5 at the rear seat being shown, in full lines Fig. l, in operative positions, at which time the handles f1 and 2` are out of operativey positions'as indicated by full lines in 1, rthe operative positions ofthe handleswl and 2 being shown in dot and dash lines in this ligure while the inoperative'position of handles 4 and 5 are there shown in dot and dash lines. When the `handles are notfin operative positions'. they Vare placed vertically as shown more clearly in Fig. 2, in 'dot mobile; Figi 3 is a plan view, partially 1n section, on line 3 3 of Fig. 2V; Fig. 4 is an elevation, mainly in section, the operating position of the steering lever handle being indicated in fulllines anda nonoperatirg position of such handle indot and dash lines; Fig. 5 is a sectional View on line 5 5 of F ig. 4; Fig. 6 isa sectional view on line 6 6 of Fig. 4, the operating position of the steering handle and a partyof the vehicle body being indicated. in dot and dash lines in Figs. 5and6; Fig. 7is a view in elevation, taken partially in section; Fig. 8 is an operating connection with the sprocket gear and dash lines in Fig. 4l, and in dot and dash lines in Fig. 8. lVhen a steering handle 1 or 4i is not in operative position it is disposed forwardly and longitudinally and its associated controller handle rearwardly and longitudinally of the vehicle, though l do not limit myself to this disposition of the handles, when idle. In order to maintain the handles in the idle positions thereof illustrated in Fig. 1, I provide the hollow columns individual to the handles at each seat each with a recess al which receives a ball a when the corresponding handle is in its idle position. These -balls are spring pressed, a single spring [wat each seat desirably being common to the two balls thereat and operating, through the intermediation of the balls when received in the recesses ofthe columns, to maintain the associate' handles in their idle positions so that the handles will not be passively turned with the handles at the other seat which are in operating position. Vhen a steering handle is to be operatively re-associated with the steering gear it must be given a quarter turn in a clockwise direction in a horizontal plane in order that it may be elevated from its dependingposition to occupy the operative position which is horizontal and transverse toA the direction of travel of the machine. The seat- 3 is mounted to swing Aabout its pivot point 15 and occupies the position shown in full lines when the automobile is to be driven exclusively from the rear seat. lVhen either seat is selected from which to drive the machine the hand levers individual to the other seat are turned down and the turned down steer--k ing lever is moved a quarter turn to the left to occupy, when'thus vertically disposed a position snug to the side of the vehicle body A, such steering handle then being disposed longitudinally of the machine rather than transversely thereof, as indicated in full lines at 1 in Fig. 1 and in dot and dash lines at l in Fig. 1. Then the steering handle 1 is turned down and forwardly then to be inoperative, the seat 3 is to be turned to occupy the position illustrated in full lines, whereupon the driving is controlled at the rear seat (3` The steering handle 1` having to be turned a quarter turn to the right loefore it can be elevated to the horizontal and operative position, cannot be turned.from the position'shown in full lines in Fig. 1 when the seat 3 occupies the position there shown `in full lines owing to the olistruction to such movement then effected by this seat whereby the steering of the machine. is then limited to the person occupying the rear seat 6. lVhen' the machine is controlled at p the forward seat. this seat is caused to occupy the position indicated in dot and dash lines in Fig. 1 for this purpose. The, steering handle l then cannot be turned from the position indicated in dot and dash lines at 4 in Fig. 1 owing to the obstruction to such movement then effected by this seat whereby the steering of the machine is then limited to the person occupying the forward seat So far as the motor control is concerned the controller handles 2 and 5 are permitted to have such control when they are singly elevated to their horizontal positions gen-- erally transverse to the line of travel of the machinevand indicated respectively by the dot and dash lines at 2 and full lines at 5 in Fig. 1, these coiitroller handles being deprived of their control when they are dropped to their vertical positions. They need not have interfering relation with the seat 3 since the motor, when an electric motor, preferably has its circuit locked open at the seat 3 or G from which control is not to be effected. Thus when the handles at either seat are in their horizontal, operative,

positions, the handles at the other seat arev depressed out of operative positions.

Referring now more particularly to Figs. 3 and al, the steering handle 4 'is mounted to rotate upon a shaft 1G extending across the branches of the bifurcated upper end of a steering column 1T slotted at one side (Fig. permanently to receive a pilot key 18 (which is employed in the shop as a pilot for assembly) this key being fixed with respect to a sleeve 19 that is longitudinally grooved at its lowerend, separably to -receive apilot key 20 (Fig. 6) lixedly carried by a plunger Q1 and which pilot key 20 is permanently received in the upper end of a sleeve Q0 which is fixed with respect to the crank arm 73. Cap nuts LB and 2l maintain the assembly of the parts` the spring 25 intervening between the nut 24 and the loner end of the plunger. 21 whereby the top end of this plunger is maintained in engagement with'f -to collapse it), the cam 2S will ride upon the roller 2T to depress this roller and thereby the plunger 21 through the intermediation of the rod 2G whereby the key Q() is thrown out of engagement with the slot 39. in the bottom of the sleeve 19 and is wholly confined within the slot 33 in the sleeve Q2. ll'hcn the handle l is in the adjustment indicated in Fig. l it may be swung in a horizontal plane to turn the crank arm T3, turning movement of the handle being transmitted from the handle through the steering column 1T. the key 19, the sleeve 19, the key 20. the sleeve 2;), `the arm T, thepce ultimatelyto the vehicle wheels that are to be steered. The plunger 214 has a portion which is co-extensive with the length of'the key 20 and which is polygonally shaped vin steering column 17 has aportion which is.

co-eXtensive with the key 18, Vwhich column portionis polygonally shaped in cross section to" be received within'the correspondingly shapedvb'ore .of-'the sleeve 19. The

polygonal portions of the steering column and plunger arei.-,illustrated Vrespectively in Figs. 5 and 6. e rlhe handle is maintained in this horizontal position by the'spring'25 operating through the plun er 21 and the rod 26 to maintain the rod 2 inthe recess 30. To maintain the roller 27 inthe plane of the handle'l4,fthe rod 26f`maybe provided with a longitudinal groove' .34At receive the inner end of a'fguide pin Bagwhic'h'is carried by the steering '.columnil'fAs the handle 4 is turned'in its horizontal plane the sleeves 19, 22 and the 'sleeve 36 .turnas a unit, the sleeve 36 moving in a bearing 37 that Ais located in the bore of the ball member 38 of a ball and socket structure, the socket 39 of this structure being iXedly mounted with respect to the vehicle body .A and being provided with a cap 40 forV clamping the ball 38 in fixed engagement therewith. The ball and socket structure 38, 39 is located at the lower end of thesteering column while-another ball and socket structure is located at the upper end of the steering column and in'- cludes a socket 41 fiXedly mounted with respect to the vehicle body, a ball 42 and a clamping nut 43 which clamps the ball and socket fixedly together. In assembling the parts, the nuts 40 and 43 are at first loose in order that the steering column 17 and the separable continuation 36 thereof may be properly self-alined with the aid of a coil spring 401 in the bearings therefor which are carried by the balls 42 and 38 whereafter the balls are clamped securedlyto their respective sockets. If it should be desired toplace the lhandle 4 out of the way of the operator,`

while at the same time preserving 'connec-v tion of the steering column portion 36 with the balance of the steering column. through the intermediation of the key 20 and the plunger 21, the handle 44 may be raised until the recess 29, receives the roller 27` whereby the handle is maintained in an upright position from which it may be readily restored to its horizontal,, operating, position. Ifit should .be desired to throw the handle 4 out of service so asto remove its control from the crank arm 73, the handle is depressed until it occupies the position shown' in dot and dash lines in Fig. 4 and in which position the roller 27 is received by the recess 31, the spring V25 being correspondingly depressed to permit the key 2O and the polygonal portion of the plunger 21 carrying the same to be located sufliciently low to permit anyv subsequentl rotary movement of the steering column 17 Anot to be communicated to the crank arm 73 since the steering column 17 has now become separated from5 its extension 36. lVhen the steering handle is depressed it cannot be turned materially to the rear on account ofv interference with the associate motor circuit controller handle and the mounting therefor. If it is the handle 4 which is being turned out of service it is.

which, is (3o-extensive with the. key 20 is maintainednnt of register withy the correspondinglyshaped borein the sleeve 22 wherebygthespring 25 is maintained -compressed-anjlf1'fsineifective to establish engagement'betweenV the parts 21 Aand 22 untilthe' key20- is again in register with the slot 32 which occurs when the handle 4 is first turned'in a clockwise direction frmthe position "shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1 and when said handle is thereafter elevated to its horizontal, operating, position.v

If the control is to be shifted from the forward seat to the rear seat the handle 1 has first to be depressed in order to permit the forward seat 3 to be turned to its rear .facing position shown by full lines'inFig. 1, since the handle. 1 is so long as to be prevented from being thrown out of and thereafter into operating position owing to the interference of the front of the vehicle body. After the handle 1 has been depressed it vis turned in a. counter-clockwise direction in order to ypermit the seat 3 to assumeits full rear facing position.. I have described in detail but one steering handle -4 and its associateA mechanism, it being understood that each steering handle has similar mechanism in association therewith and where like partsl appear, they are given similar characters of reference.

Each of the controller handles 2 and 5 is associated with mechanism Ythat'includes parts which are similar to parts of the mech- .turned to occupy the position indicated by marks are added. In the case of the controller handle 2 or 5 shown in neutral positions respectively by broken and full lines in ,Fig 1, motion is communicated therefrom, when this handle is moved in its horizontal plane, by Way of the controller column 171, the Akey 18.1, the sleeve 191, the key 201, the plunger 211, and the sleeve 361 on which the wheel 8 is tixedly mounted. then the forward controller handle 2 is to be operated while in its horizontal position motion is communicated from its column continuation 361 to the crank. arm 12, the. link 14, the crank arm 13 in actuating relation to the portion 361 belonging to the rear controller handle, to the sprocket wheel S, the rear controller handle then being in a depressed position. The mechanisms are similar excepting that there is but one gear lwheel S which is fixed upon the sleeve continuation 361 of the rear controller column 17?.

lVhile I have herein shown and particularly described the preferred embodiment of my invention it will beA understood that changes may readily be made without departing from the spirit thereof and I do not therefore wish to be limited to the precise details of construction shown, but having thus described my invention Iv claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent the vfollowing 1. A vehicle having a vehicle steering wheel portion: steering mechanism; a handle for operating the steering mechanism; a. hollow steering column upon which said handle swingingly mounted; a rod for bringing said handle into and out of operating relation with the steering` mechanism and mounted to move within the column; and a spring for pressing the rod toward the handle. y

2. A vehicle having a vehicle steering wheel'portion; steering mechanism; ay handle for operating the steering mechanism; a hollow steering column upon which said handle is swingingly mounted; a rod for vbringing said handle into and out ot operating relation with the steering mechanism and mounted to move within the column; and -a spring for pressing .the rod toward the handle, the handle being provided with recesses adjacent its mounted end which conform .to different positionsto which the handle may be adjusted and a roller carried handle and steering 4mechanism and operable by the handle when thrown away from operating position to break the operating relation between the handle and steering mechanism.

4e. A vehicle having a vehicle steering wheel portion, steering mechanism, a swingingly mounted handle for operating the steering mechanism, said handle being adapted to swing out otl operable position as a steering means and mechanism for establishing operating relation between the handle and the steering mechanism, and operable by the handle when thrown intononoperating position to break the operating relation between the handl. and the steering mechanism. Y

5. A vehicle having a vehicle steering wheel portion, steering mechanism, a swingingly mounted handle Jfor establishing operating relation between the handle and the steering mechanism, said handle being movable out of operating position as a steering m mns, the steering mechanism including a cam portion operated by the handle in be- .ing moved into and out of operating Apositween the handle and the steering mechanism in the operating position of the handle and to break such connection in the nonoperating position of theA handle.

6. A vehicle having a vehicle steering wheel portion; steering mechanism; a handle swingingly mounted for establishing operating relation between the handle and steering mechanism, this mechanism including a cam` portion operated by the handle in being moved into and out of operating position and a plunger whose position is governed by the cam portion and serving to establish operating connection between the handle and steering mechanism when the handle is in an operating position and to break such connection when the handle is in a non-operating position.

7.A vehicle having a.vv vehicle steering wheel portion; steering mechanism; a

v handle swingingly mounted for establishing ope ating relation between the handle and steering mechanism; this `mechanism including a cam portion operated by the handle in being moved into and out of operating position and a plunger provided with steering wheel portion is toybe controlled;

and a steering handle individual to each of said seats, the handle at the rear one of these seats being mounted to permit it to have operating and non-operating positions, the front seat being adjustably mounted to permit it to have forward andrear facing positionsand serving when in a rear facing position to obstruct movement ofthe steering handle individual to said rear seat from a non-operating to an operating position. I

9. A vehicle having a vehicle steering wheel portion and provided with forward and rear seats'from either of which the steering wheel portion is to be controlled; and a steering handle individual to each of said seats, the handle' at the forward seat being mounted `to permit it to have operating and non-operating positions, this seat being adjustably mounted to permit it to have forward and rear facing positions and serving when in a' rear facing position to obstruct movement of the steering handle from a non-operating to an operating position, thev handle at the front seat being adapted to turn, when in non-operating position, to move it out o'f the way of its associate seat, thev front of rthe vehicle body being sufficiently close to the handle to prevent the handle from occupying aposition parallel with the straight line of travel when the handle is horizontal. y v10. A vehicle having vehicle controlling mechanism and provided with forward and y rear seats from either of which the controlling mechanism is to be controlled; and a controllinghandle individual to each of said seats, the handle at the rear one of .these seats being mounted to permit it to have operating and non-operating positions, the

front seat being adjustablymounted to permit it to have forwardl and rear facing positions and serving when in a rear facing position to obstruct Y movement of, the steering handle individual to said lreiufseat from a non-operating to an operating position.

11. A vehicle having vehicle -controlling mechanism and provided with forward and rear seats from either of which thecontrollingmechanism is to be controlled; and a i 'i controlling handle individual to each-of said seats, the handle at the forward seat being mounted lto permit it to have operating and non-operating positions, this seat being' adl justably mounted to permit it to have forward and rear facing positions and serving when in a rear facing position to obstruct yso movement of the controlling handle from a e non-operating to an operating position, the

handle at the VJfront seat being adapted toy turn, when in non-operatinggposition, to` move it'out of the way of its associate seat,

thefront of the lvehicle body being sufficiently close to thehandlegtg-prevent the handle from occupying aposition parallel with the straight line of travel when the handle is horizontal.

12. A vehicle having a steering wheel portion and provided with forward and rear seats from either of which the steering wheel portion is to be controlled; steering mechanism; a handle at each seat for operating the steering mechanism and adjustably mounted to have operating and non-operating. positions; and mechanism for establishing operating relation between each handle' and the steering mechanism and operable by` such handle'when thrown into a nonoperating position to break the'oper'ating relation between such handle and the steering mechanism'.

13. An automobile having controller mechanism for its motor and provided with forward and rear seats from either of which the controller mechanism is to be controlled; a handle at each seat for operating the controller mechanism and adjustably mounted to have operating and non-operat- .ing positions; and mechanism for establishmechanism` andv provided with forward and rear 'seats from either of which the controlling mechanism isvto be controlled; a handle atv each seat for operating the controlling mechanism and adjustably mounted to have operating and non-operating positions; and mechanism for establishing operating relation between each' handle and the controlling echanism and operable by such han` dle when thrown into a non-operating position tobreak the operating relation between such e handle' 'and controlling vmechanism. 15. A vehiclehaving a steering .wheel portion vand provided with forward andv rear seats from either of which the steering wheel portion is to be" controlled; steering mechanism; a handle 'at' each seat for operating the steering Vmechanism and adjustably mounted to have operating and non'- operatingpositions; mechanism for establishing operating relation between each handle and the steering mechanism and operable by such handle when thrown into'a non-operating position to break the operating relation between such handle andthe i steering mechanism; and means for preventing a handle from being turned rwhen in idle adjustment at one s eat bythe operation of the corresponding handle at the other seat.

16. An automobile having controller mechanism for its motor and provided with forward and rear seats from either of which the controller mechanism i's to be controlled; a handle at each seat t'or operating the controller mechanism and adjustably mounted to have operating and non-operat ing positions; mechanism Jfor establishing operating relation between each handle and the controllerl mechanism and operable at such handle when thrown into a non-operating position to break the operating relation betweensuch handle and controller mecli anism; and means for preventing a handle ,from being turned` when in idle adjustment at one seat by the operation ot' the corresponding handle at the other seat.

'17. A vehicle having vehicle controlling mechanism and provided with forward and rear seats from either ot' which the controlling mechanism is to be controlled; a handle at each seat for ope ating the controlling mechanism and adjustably mounted to have operating and non-operating positions;

mechanism for establishing operating rela! tion between each handle andthe 'control-l ling meclianisin and operable by such han dle when thrown into a noii-operating posi-A .ai D. im.

mechanism for establishing operating relation between such handle and the controlling mechanism and operable b v such liandle when thrown into a non-operating position to break the operating relation between such` handle and the controlling mechanism,` the handle serving to operate this mechanism to prevent the establishment of such operating relation when the handle, while. inoperative, is disposed longitudinalljv ot' the vehicle.4

l5). `vehicle having vehicle steering mechanism; -a handle movable about an upright axis adjacent a seat from which the vehicle is to be controlled and swingingly mounted to'occupy a substantially' horizontal and operating position and a depressed aiid non-operating position; and mechanism for establishing operating relation between such handle and the steering mechanism and operable by such' handle when thrown into a non-operating position 'to break the oieratine' relation between such handle and the steering mechanism, the handle serving to operate this mechanism to prevent the establishment o'l` such ope ating relation when the handle, while inoperativeis disposed longitudinally 'ot the vehicle.

In witness wliei'eoiI l hereunto subscribe my name this twenty-third day ol January,

noma-'n s. inNn.

lVitnesses ,Y

E'r'ra L. lViirrii7 G. L. Cilaos. 

